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The 101 best written TV series of all time

Anyone looking for a TV show to marathon-watch this summer? As Kottke wrote, the Writers Guild of America just published their list of the 101 best written TV series, and it's a great reminder of some oldies but goodies. Here are the first thirty:

Do you agree or disagree with any of these? And don't you suddenly want to watch old Mary Tyler Moore episodes? My mom would let me stay up late so we could watch it together when I was in junior high. Also, randomly: My sister, who is a doctor, said that of all the hospital TV series, funnily enough, Scrubs is the most accurate reflection of working in hospitals with its wacky residents and nutty hierarchy.P.S. Seinfeld posters and funny clips.

I never watched the Soprano's the first time around but ever since I lived in Newport, Jersey City this last year I've been obsessed! Some of my fave shows on this list, especially the Cosby Show, Frasier, Cheers and Friends.

I'm only just beginning to understand the humour of Seinfeld, I think it's quite different to typical English comedy but some of the eps I've watched recently have been hilarious. Frasier's on here every single morning though and it's definitely one of the best! - Holly (www.holhar.blogspot.com)

we weren't allowed to watch much TV, but my mom always let my sisters and i watch "i love lucy"! i loved that show--even as a working adult, i have a lucy coffee mug from the vitameatavegamin episode (my favorite one!).

I love Homeland. I've also been watching The Killing on Netflix - it's not good enough to make a "Best of" list but it's entertaining with lots of twists. It's dark & if you like crime drama/mystery, you'll like it.

There was actually a study done on the "accuracy" of hospital TV and Scrubs came out the winner. I read an article that said the head writer on the show (I think?) is friends with a doctor and he acts as a consultant for story ideas, etc. Definitely makes more sense than the crap they put on Grey's Anatomy!

Golden Girls really should be higher that #69. it is a classic, well written show with great comedic timing. its been on constant syndication for the past 20 yrs. that should account for higher than #69. Can you tell I'm a fan and still watch it daily, HA!

I LOVE the west wing! Glad to see it made the top ten. But, I agree, where is Gilmore Girls?! I also really like the Big Bang Theory and wish it was added to the list. As a scientist, I love how they make jokes that can be understood on multiple levels! Also, my husband is a general surgery resident and agrees that scrubs is the most accurate!

Joanna you have totally made me wish it was the middle of winter so I could use "snowed-in" as an excuse to binge watch some of these series! Maybe all the rain we get this weekend here in PA will be a good enough excuse... ;)

I don't know about "best written" - all of these shows seem to be picked from the mainstream pool. Firefly and Farscape were incredibly well written sci-fi shows that boggled the mind and dealt with tough issues while keeping the humor in, but obviously, they are not going to pick a sci-fi show, because OMG sci-fi is not a "real" genre. (X Files and Twilight Zone were awesome, but they are "paranormal" genre, in case anyone wondered).Also, like so many people said, Scrubs should have made the list, because it was very clever and funny while staying accurate to the subject matter.

I saw this and felt so validated in my television watching. M*A*S*H, West Wing and Battlestar Galactica (ignore the fact it takes place in space - there are no aliens, it's pure brilliance) are epic television programs and everyone should watch them.

I recently came across the actualy diner, located in Bloomfield, NJ, where the last scene of The Sopranos was shot! Due to the fact that I absolutely loved this show/thought that the writing was brilliant, I was beyond thrilled to find out about this little piece of TV history. Please check out my blog my these pics/commentary: www.gustatori.com.

The West Wing deserved to be higher up in that list. In my opinion, it's unimaginable to place it below Mas Men, for example. Studio 60 on the Sunset strip, despite only lasting for a season, was brilliantly written, too.

I just noticed Lost is in there too! Oh, those years! Also, Gilmore Girls should be there! It's light and girly — which somehow prevents everyone from taking it seriously — but is so absolutely amazing when it comes to writing. So, so brilliant.

I strongly agree with Gilmore Girls (ah, Lorelei and Rory.. and Luke) It's brilliantly written!i also love Breaking Bad, amazingly well directed and photographed, and the cast is phenomenal (ok, it's violent and raw, but still, awesome-right next to the Sopranos)One missing is Justified, (4 seasons so far) and season 2 particularly is spectacular. Check it out! (it doesn't hurt that Timothy Olyphant is soooo good-looking!) House is fantastic (at least the 5 first seasons) and I love Nurse Jackie, (with Edie di Falco, formerly Tony Soprano's wife) check her out!!!Scrubs is hilarious, it's scary to hear that it's kind of accurate!Love Tv series, often more than movies-oops!

I strongly agree with Gilmore Girls (ah, Lorelei and Rory.. and Luke) It's brilliantly written!i also love Breaking Bad, amazingly well directed and photographed, and the cast is phenomenal (ok, it's violent and raw, but still, awesome-right next to the Sopranos)One missing is Justified, (4 seasons so far) and season 2 particularly is spectacular. Check it out! (it doesn't hurt that Timothy Olyphant is soooo good-looking!) House is fantastic (at least the 5 first seasons) and I love Nurse Jackie, (with Edie di Falco, formerly Tony Soprano's wife) check her out!!!Scrubs is hilarious, it's scary to hear that it's kind of accurate!Love Tv series, often more than movies-oops!

LOL, I totally agree with your sister about Scrubs! (I am a nurse at a children's hospital.) While some of the crazy surreal things that happen on that show wouldn't actually happen, they evoke EXACTLY the kind of feelings you feel while on the floors/units. You can tell the person who wrote it had a medical background. I think the most dead on is the sassy front desk lady. :)

We've been watching Seinfeld with our son who is almost two. It seems to be the right pace for him. And every time he sees George on screen he says "oh george" in a really cute way. I have been trying to get it on video. Watching it reminds me what a great and funny show it was.

What a great, and very accurate list! I am a little disappointed to not see Gilmore Girls on the list, as I always thought there was very insightful beat to the writing, and it really portrayed a relationship that for so long was pretty ignored by popular shows. I've not been incredibly impressed with Amy Sherman-Palladino's newest show Bunheads, but Gilmore Girls was in a league of its own! However, I'm thrilled to see Frasier (obviously!) and also Buffy on there!

I love so many of these shows! Mad men, Arrested Development... I need to start watching TV again. Though that would just completely murder any productivity. I also agree with the girls ahead of me that Gilmore Girls should have been on there!Leah Fayehttp://e-plus-l.blogspot.com/2013/06/decorating-on-budget.html

I would say that's fairly in line the best-written American TV shows of all time... Netflix is introducing me to some AMAZING foreign shows which blow even some of the best American shows out of the water... Prime Suspect, Cracker, Wire in the Blood, the original House of Cards trilogy, Swedish version of Wallander, etc.... oh, then there's Doc Martin (which is played on PBS here) and some others which also have made their way to PBS.

As someone in the medical field as well, I must say that your sister is correct when it comes to Scrubs being th most accurate medical television show. It's not about the actual medical details, but the personalities. One of my favorite shoes, and a medical show I can watch without screaming at the tv and correcting all of their stupid mistakes!

I absolutely love The Killing, and hoped to see it make the list. I thought perhaps it wasn't because it's a remake of a Scandinavian show, but The Office made the cut. Friday Night Lights is also amazing and Connie Britton will forever be Tami Taylor.

Starting with the first episode, I watched all of 30 Rock on my maternity leave while nursing. I returned to my job saying "shut it down" and laughing hysterically. Additional note, my physician husband has always said the same about Scrubs and won't watch any of the other doctor shows!

What is their criteria? I'm no writer so I have no clue about technicalities or anything like that...but there are some shows that are on the bottom of the list that I would expect to just as likely be at the top, e.g. why is modern family way higher than The Office, Everybody Loves Raymond, Goldon Girls, etc. etc?

Actually this year ist the 50th birthday of Doctor Who and I also wanted to say: what about him? The show has everything: action, drama, costumes, humor, love and friendship! I think it's the best show showing friendship and solidarity and it brings tears to my eyes almost every episode =)

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I love 6 Feet Under and Arrested Development. I also used to be a big fan of X-Files. However, I think Breaking Bad is highly overrated and shouldn't have made the list. I've been meaning to start watching Mad Men, looks like this is a good reminder.

When I saw this was a list for "best written" series, I immediately thought of Gilmore Girls for it's clever and breakneck speed dialog. I can't believe it's not even on the list. Really? Of the top 30, I like 4 or 5. I don't understand how SNL or Jon Stewart qualify as a series. If it's a talk show or variety show, it's not really a series is it? I also think that Parenthood should be on the list. Any writers that can make my friends and I cry with sadness or joy every single episode for an entire season should definitely be on the list!

I'm glad Frasier, I Love Lucy, and The Cosby Show made the top 30! Classics!

I call shenanigans. The Wire should be rated higher than Mad Men at least - while Jon Hamm is amazing as Don Draper and I love Elizabeth Moss' Peggy, Omar is one of the best characters ever created on television, "Come at the king, you best not miss." And the way David Simon envisioned the series, it was perfection. Seriously. Usually you start out with a series that starts off as a good premise and then it never surpasses that first season. Not so with this one. Each season it just builds and builds until you have everything wrapped up in the end. Also, probably one of the most brutal depictions of the inefficiency of institutions and the war on drugs. The social aspect of this series alone should make it as one of the top 5.

Doctor Who and Game of Thrones are missing, as some have stated before. Other than that I don't really like mixing Sitcoms with Drama Series. You really can't compare them on a level that makes sense. I haven't seen a lot of these shows, so I'm not gonna say much about the ranking itself.

I only know what people have told me: The Wire is supposedly one of the best shows ever aired and Battlestar Galactica shouldn't be missing in a Top 30 list like that either.

I never really thought about it but Scrubs totally is the most accurate hospital show. Whenever I watch other hospital shows I'm always thinking "There's no way that would happen," but with Scrubs I'm always nodding to myself like "Yep, that's about right."

Shouldn't this list be called "the best AMERICAN tv shows of all time"?? I love some of these but I feel like when it comes to television the Brits do it best ... any "best ever" list that doesn't mention Dennis Potter or Mark Gatis is just playing. PS - Even if limited to the US, how could they have left off Twin Peaks?